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“Yeah, you said hello like you hope one of you gets a razor blade in their meal.” He pulls out a chair, takes off his suit jacket, and hangs it on the back of the chair. “What happened?”
“Nothing. It’s fine. Let’s just do this taste test.” Rylan stands and tucks his chair under the table.
“You’re leaving?” I say louder than necessary.
“I’m going to say hello to your dad. I’m not the complete loser you think I am.”
The napkin twists in my hands.
“What is wrong with you two?” Declan says, following Rylan.
My dad asks Rylan how he’s doing, how’s Chicago, if he still goes to the restaurants he recommends. Rylan mentions one chef friend of my dad’s who was happy to have him and his friends as guests one night and said to say hello.
“Probably some girl,” I mumble.
Aubrey leans over the table. “Are you okay?” Her gaze flicks behind me. “It’s just hard. I thought I could do this.”
Her smile turns down. “Then don’t. You can go. We don’t need you for the tasting. This is all Declan’s idea. I told him it wasn’t going to work, that there’s hurt deep down between the two of you. Seriously, Calista, go.”
She’s giving me the opening I want, and still my ass is planted on the chair.
What is my problem with Rylan? We had a rocky start when he got to town a few days ago because it was uncomfortable, but I’ve never hated him, not even when I walked out of his condo with my suitcase in tow. But last night, he pissed me off. I’m frustrated too. And I want to sleep with him. But I’m not going to because we can’t cross that line. It only ends in disaster. Basically, my head and my heart are all kinds of fucked up when it comes to the man talking to my dad right now.
“I’m good, but thanks for the offer.”
She straightens and positions her napkin on her lap. “You just tell me if it changes, okay?”
I nod.
The men return, and Rylan sits in his chair before positioning his napkin on his lap. “Everything looks great. I’m not sure how you’ll choose.”
“I love your dad,” Declan tells me.
The two of them like my dad because he used to be a juvenile delinquent like they were. My dad thought the arrest after the Netflix break-ins was funny. Mom did not. And my dad still loves Rylan as much as he did when we were together. Traitor.
“Okay, guys, we’re doing soup first because it has to be hot to enjoy.” My dad brings out a tray and places a bowl of soup in front of each of us. “This is my lobster bisque.”
He heads back into the kitchen.
This goes on for the next hour. Dad does family style when it comes to main entrées, and while Aubrey and Declan are arguing about the soup, a beautiful woman comes into the room with a tray of small desserts.
“Hi, I’m Olive, the pastry chef for Terra & Mare.” She looks around the table and stops, her eyes landing on Rylan. He’s not so good-looking that you lose your train of thought. “Rylan Greene?”
“One of your conquests?” I ask under my breath.
He narrows his eyes at me, then smiles at the woman, putting out his hand. “Yes.”
She sets down the tray. “I’m from Chicago, so I’m used to seeing your face on the billboards and stuff. Plus, I baked for you once.” She blushes. “I was just starting and I’m sure you don’t remember. You were in a private room and the chef threw me a bone.”
“Where was it?”
I have no idea why my body is so jittery with irritation right now.
“Rebels. It was an almond cake, dipped in whipped cream and topped with a chocolate dome.”
Rylan’s eyes light up. “Oh, I remember that dessert. I don’t usually eat them, but we were celebrating.”
“Yeah, it was…” Her gaze drifts to Aubrey and me. “Well, anyway. Nice to meet you.” Her eyes go to Aubrey and Declan, who have moved on to the salad for arguing purposes. “For the bride and groom, I have a variety of small desserts, from cream puffs to éclairs to small cakes. I can make some replicas of your actual wedding cake if you know what it’ll look like. But these are a huge hit in Chicago right now.”
